HEURELHO GOMES reckons Tottenham ran before they had learned to walk in the Champions League this season – and also admitted they face a fight to hang on to their star names.

Spurs enjoyed a sensational first foray into the competition which has left them desperate for more of the same next season, but also brought the likes of Gareth Bale to the attention of Europe’s biggest guns.

Real Madrid proved a step too far in the quarter-finals, with the blundering Gomes gifting Cristiano Ronaldo a goal in each leg as the Spaniards ran out 5-0 aggregate winners.

Now focus shifts to the Premier League and the race for a top-four finish – starting with Arsenal at White Hart Lane on Wednesday night.

Growing

Spurs, like last season, could well be in a straight shootout for fourth with Manchester City, who they visit on May 10.

But Gomes said: “Every game now is very important but we’re talking about the first one, against Arsenal, and, yes, it will be massive for us.

“We just need to keep going and to look forward. We have the players to fight and stay in the top four every season but it’s not easy.

“After reaching the quarter-finals of the Champions League, we are almost growing up too fast.

“The club will try their hardest to keep our best players but, if they go, this is football. Other players will come in and we just have to move on.”